284 BERDYCZEWSK1
I never had a needle in my hand in all my life be- fore, and now I sit whole nights and patch and sew on buttons. And next morning, when the corporal takes hold of a button and gives a pull, to see if it's firmly sewn, a pang goes through my heart : the button is dragged out, and a piece of the uniform follows.
Another whole night's work for me !
After the inspection, they drive us out into the yard and teach us to stand: it must be done so that our stomachs fall in and our chests stick out. I am half as one ought to be, because my stomach is flat enough anyhow, only my chest is weak and narrow and also flat flat as a board.
The corporal squeezes in my stomach with his knee, pulls me forward by the flaps of the coat, but it's no use. He loses his temper, and calls me greasy fellow, screams again that I am pretending, that I won't serve, and this makes my chest fall in more than ever.
I like the gymnastics.
In summer we go out early into the yard, which is very wide and covered with thick grass.
It smells delightfully, the sun warms us through, it feels so pleasant.
The breeze blows from the fields, I open my mouth and swallow the freshness, and however much I swal low, it's not enough, I should like to take in all the air there is. Then, perhaps, I should cough less, and grow a little stronger.
We throw off the old uniforms, and remain in our shirts, we run and leap and go through all sorts of per-
